In the ambulance, she’d been in and out of consciousness. It wasn’t until thirty minutes after they’d arrived that Myles started to believe that she might be okay. It was around that time Geneva started raising hell, insisting that she hated hospitals and wanted to leave.
“All right. I’ll tell him,” Myles heard Parker say.
Myles opened his eyes and glanced at the security specialist who used to be SWAT before coming on board at Supreme Security. He was now sitting in one of the upholstered chairs across the room, and Kenton was at the small table near the window, looking at something on his phone. The space wasn’t overly big, but it was larger than Myles originally thought.
“Ashton had to leave, but he said to tell you that the teens who tossed the Molotov into Geneva’s shop have been apprehended,” Parker said to Myles. “Turns out they’re affiliated with the Minauros Devils. Some type of gang initiation.”
“How’d they find them?” Myles asked.
“Anonymous tip. Three in total were arrested, and they believe one of them is the third kid who bolted after vandalizing Gen’s car.”
Myles wasn’t sure what to say. He was glad they caught the punks, but he didn’t know how he felt about Reuben possibly playing a role in wrapping that case up. And it probably shouldn’t matter to Myles as long as they were caught, but it did. He didn’t want either himself or Geneva to owe someone like Reuben. But right now, he couldn’t think about that.
“Thanks for letting me know. I’ll tell Geneva.”
When the door to the room opened, Myles bolted upright, thinking it was her, and regretted the sudden move. He placed his feet on the floor and gripped his head with both hands until the room stopped spinning.
Damn. Must’ve moved too fast, he thought.
As Laz walked in, Parker walked out, promising to return shortly. That left Myles with Laz and Kenton. Hamilton and Mason had insisted that he and Geneva have two people with them until they figured out who and what they were dealing with.
“You look like crap,” Laz said, dropping a duffel near Myles’s feet, then sitting on the sofa next to him.
“Whatever. Were you able to get Coco situated?” Myles asked as he dug around in the bag for a clean shirt. The EMTs had cut off the sleeve of his shirt to tend to his wound.
Immediately after talking to the police, Myles had told his friends about the shooter targeting him. All of his team leaped into action. Myles’s primary concerns had been making sure Geneva was all right, getting his son someplace safe, and picking up Coco from Geneva’s place. Neither of them would be able to return to their homes until after all of this was over.
Hamilton had jumped into action, making security arrangements for all of Myles’s family. Mason had been tasked with picking up Collin from Yvette’s place. Myles had been concerned that his son would be scared and upset, but luckily Collin had been asleep when Mason showed up.
Laz leaned back against the sofa, stretched his long legs out in front of him, and then put his hands behind his head.
“Coco is at Mason’s place with Collin, who was asleep when Egypt and I dropped off clothes and other stuff you said you guys needed.”
“That’s good. Thanks.” Myles closed his eyes against the exhaustion that was deeply rooted in his body. Physically, he was tired enough to sleep for a week, but his mind was still racing.
“Where’s Egypt now?” Kenton asked of his wife.
“In the hallway with Journey, Hamilton, and Dakota,” Laz said, then nudged Myles, who looked at him. “Mason and London’s guest house is all set for you guys. Now we have to find the asshat who opened fire on you and Gen. Any ideas?”
You will pay for destroying my family.
Those words had been rattling around inside Myles’s mind off and on since they arrived at the hospital. That’s what the note said, the one the authorities had found in Whitney’s car.
Myles had no doubt her death and the shooting tonight were connected. He just didn’t know who their enemy was.
“I don’t have any ideas yet,” he finally said to Laz. “But first thing in the morning, I’ll start reviewing some of the CIA assignments that Whitney and I did together.”
If her death and tonight’s attack turned out to be related to their spy days, Myles’s biggest fear would’ve come true. There’d been a reason he kept his distance from people and stayed clear of romantic relationships. He often feared his past would come back to haunt him and put those he loved in danger.
What if that was currently the case? Geneva could have died.
What if that had happened because of something or someone from his past? Myles would’ve never forgiven himself.
As it was, he was starting to rethink his decision of having her in his life, knowing that something like this could happen again.
It might be time for him to take Collin and disappear…but not before he hunted down the bastard responsible for tonight.
Chapter Nineteen
Myles is avoiding me.
Geneva didn’t know that for sure, but that’s how it felt.
Sitting on the leather sofa in the living room, she folded her legs beneath her and sipped from the hot cup of chamomile tea her sister had prepared. It had been two days since the shooting. One of the scariest times in her life, but she had survived.
After her CT scan came back normal, a couple of Atlanta’s Finest had escorted her and Myles to Mason and London’s guest house. Located behind the main house, the place had all the luxuries of a five-star hotel.
The two-bedroom, two-bathroom dwelling had a cottage-like feel to it, warm and cozy and slightly larger than her home. She couldn’t have asked for a more inviting place to recuperate…and to stay safe. Myles insisted that he wanted her and Collin to stay put under the protection of Atlanta’s Finest, who seemed to be everywhere on the property. They were probably better protected than those living in the White House.
Geneva’s only complaint was that she hadn’t seen much of Myles. Sure, he checked in on her every few hours, but he was obsessed with finding the person behind the shooting. According to Journey, Geneva’s strong, powerful, sinfully sexy man had lost his shit at the hospital. She couldn’t imagine him losing control; especially the way Journey had described.
Geneva took another tentative sip of the steaming hot liquid and snuggled deeper into the overstuffed sofa. Staring into the fireplace, it was almost peaceful listening to the snap, crackle, and popping of the firewood. Red, orange, and yellow flames danced around, creating a zen-like moment for her.
Her thoughts returned to Myles. Had it not been for him, she would be dead. He had responded quickly when shots were fired, while she hadn’t even seen the car coming. The one thing Geneva remembered was Myles yelling and then knocking her to the ground. She vaguely recalled being put into the ambulance and him saying over and over: Don’t die on me. Don’t leave me. Her heart ached, knowing that she had scared him like that.
“She’s finally asleep,” Journey said of Arielle as she strolled back into the living room. “I made a pallet on the floor in the room Collin is using. Hopefully, he and Coco will stay at the main house a little longer. Because once they come running back in here, she’ll wake up and be ready to play with them.”
Geneva smiled at that thought. Her niece was just learning to walk, but already she was trying to keep up with the big kids.
Journey lifted the large mug from the table. “I need to warm up my tea. Want anything?”
“No, I’m good.” Geneva watched her stroll out of the room again. The open floor plan allowed her to see into the small dining room and the kitchen. “I’m really glad you and Arielle stopped by,” she said.
“Yeah, me too. We’ve all been worried about you. Mom and Dad called, talking about cutting their trip short, especially Dad. You know how he gets when either of us is sick or hurt.”
“I know. I hope you talked them out of coming home.”
“I did, but don’t be surprised if they show up
.”
Geneva was a daddy’s girl. She was also the son he wanted but didn’t have. Growing up, she followed him around like a puppy dog. They did everything together, from watching sports to building a treehouse in their backyard. She was also the one who gave them hell when she became a teenager. Wrecking the family car, staying out past curfew, and even sneaking beer into her bedroom—she’d done it all. Yet, she and her dad were tighter than a bowline knot despite her childhood escapades.
“I hope they don’t,” Geneva said. “I told them I’m fine. I’ll admit, the last couple of weeks, between the fire at the shop and the shooting the other night, have been unusual. But I feel good. I’m alive, and I can’t ask for much more than that.”
The bruise on the side of her head that she sustained when hitting the ground was a little sore, but nothing like it had been. Right after it happened, she couldn’t even lay on that side. Now, it wasn’t as painful, and it didn’t hinder her sleep. The swelling had gone down, and besides the occasional headache, she honestly did feel like she was back to normal.
“So, you think Myles is avoiding you?” Journey asked as she strolled back into the living room, steam billowing from her mug.
“I know he is. I’m just not sure why.” Geneva had started sharing her concern about Myles right before Arielle began dozing off. “Whenever I ask him what’s wrong, he says ‘nothing’ or he’ll say he has a lot on his mind. He says he’s trying to find the person who tried to kill us.”
“I’m sure he is, Gen. You didn’t see him when he thought you weren’t going to make it. You know how cool and calm he usually is. Not that night. There were a couple of moments I thought Kenton was going to have to restrain him. Especially when the doctors took so long to tell us anything about your condition.”
That would’ve been interesting. Kenton was built like a Mack truck, but Myles wouldn’t have conceded without a fight.
Geneva sighed, feeling awful that he’d had to go through that, especially after what happened to his mother and Whitney. Maybe that’s what was going on. Perhaps he was afraid that he could’ve lost her, like he had lost them.
She recalled the conversation they’d had the day she learned about Collin. Myles kept his distance from people for fear of losing them. What if, in his twisted mind, he blamed himself for what happened the other night? At the hospital, he’d been afraid that he’d lose her…that she’d die.
“But I didn’t die, and I’m fine,” she said more to herself than to Journey. Which meant they should be able to just pick up where they left off before the shooting. “God, I wish he would just talk to me.”
Journey laughed and shook her head. “Aren’t you the one who once said that he didn’t talk enough? You knew going into this relationship that he was reserved. Don’t expect that to change.”
But he has changed, Geneva thought.
He was talking and laughing more. Even though he was obsessed with finding out what happened to Whitney and trying to make sure Collin was adjusting to their new normal, Myles had been opening up more. No, he didn’t jabber on and on the way she did, but at least he was expressing himself more.
“How’s Collin doing?” Journey asked after taking a sip of her tea.
“He and Coco have been having a blast since we got here. They spend most of their time at the main house with London’s youngest kids. I’ve missed my fur baby, but I’m glad I have her to share with Collin. Usually, when you see one of them, you see the other.”
“I noticed. It’s actually kind of cute. We’re even thinking about getting a puppy for Arielle to grow up with.”
“You could just have another baby,” Geneva said, grinning. “I would love to have more nieces and nephews.”
“Well, you better adopt some or marry Myles and have a few kids yourself.”
Marry Myles.
That would be wild…and highly unlikely anytime soon. They were still navigating this thing called dating. But if she was honest with herself, she could see spending the rest of her life with him. He was everything she never knew she wanted…or needed. That was something he had said to her on the phone one night—that she was everything he didn’t realize he wanted or needed.
“Myles has a go-bag,” Geneva blurted. That fact had been on her mind for a few days, but more so since the shooting.
Journey’s perfectly arched brows dipped into a frown. “A what?”
“A go-bag. A bag that has clothes, money, ID, and other stuff he might need if he had to leave town in a hurry. I saw it in his closet that night he found out that Whitney had actually been murdered. He dropped Collin and me off at his loft before going to her house to…to investigate, I guess.”
“What? You snooped through his stuff? And how do you even know what a to-go bag is?”
“It’s a go-bag, and I did not snoop. I ran across it when I was looking for something to sleep in. And I didn’t go through the whole bag. Just the stuff on top. I saw this spy movie once, and the main character had a bag like it. It was for if he ever had to suddenly disappear.”
“So, because Myles was a CIA agent, you think he has a get-out-of-town-quick bag in case he wants to disappear?”
“He used to be a spy, Journey. And you know the guys always tease him about moving around like a ghost. The man can disappear in a heartbeat. Now you see him, and then you don’t. What if he disappears on me?”
“He won’t. Besides, he has Collin to think about. He wouldn’t leave all of us. We’re his support system. He needs us…and he needs you.”
Geneva wasn’t so sure about that. Myles did whatever the hell he wanted to do. If he thought leaving would protect her or his family, he’d cut out at a moment’s notice.
But I’ll be right behind him. Ride or die, baby.
*
It was after midnight by the time Myles slipped quietly into the guest house. He half expected Coco to greet him at the door, but with Collin around, the dog couldn’t care less about him and Geneva.
Myles smiled at the thought as it reminded him of the bond he had with his childhood dog, Pepper. He might’ve wanted his nice, simple, quiet life back, but at least his son was slowly getting adjusted to his new world.
In the meantime, Myles was still reeling. He was a single parent, dealing with the death of his best friend Whitney, and trying to come to terms with almost getting his woman killed. Kenton had told him he was looking at that last part all wrong, but that’s how it felt. Had it not been for him, Geneva wouldn’t have been at Whitney’s house that night. She wouldn’t have gotten shot at, and she wouldn’t have ended up with a concussion. The morning after the incident, she’d told him that she was too resilient to be taken out by a bump on the head.
That was his woman. Always able to make light of the most serious of situations. He appreciated that about her, but that wasn’t him.
Myles didn’t bother turning on any lights as he moved down the hall that led to the bedrooms. There was just enough illumination from a couple of night-lights plugged into a few electrical outlets.
He quietly entered the room where Collin was sleeping. Coco lifted her head, and Myles wasn’t surprised to see her on the bed. She knew she was supposed to be on the floor, but his son insisted the dog sleep with him.
“Come,” Myles whispered, coaxing her off the bed. Once she was on the floor, he bent slightly and rubbed her behind the ears. “Hey, girl. You know you’re not supposed to be on the bed, but thanks for looking out for li’l man.”
Myles turned his head just in time, barely missing one of Coco’s sloppy wet kisses across the mouth. Instead, she caught him on the chin, and Myles chuckled. He was crazy about the dog, and apparently, the feelings were mutual. He rubbed her a little longer before walking her to the doggy bed near the closet door.
When Myles returned to Collin, his heart thumped a little harder as he covered his son with the blanket. He never knew he could love another human being as much as he loved his child. Agreeing to be Whitney’s sperm donor had
been the best decision he had ever made. Myles couldn’t imagine his life without Collin.
He stood there a few minutes longer, then bent down and kissed his son’s forehead. He made sure the baby monitor was on before leaving the room. When he reached the bedroom he was sharing with Geneva, he stopped and leaned against the doorjamb.
The large space was dimly lit with a sliver of moonlight peeking between the slats of the blinds. Geneva’s soft snores met his ears. She was a heavy sleeper, which worked to his advantage the last couple of days that he’d come in late.
He moved farther into the room, closing the door behind him. He hated that he had to put distance between him and Geneva, but he had no choice. Well, maybe he had a choice, but until he decided for sure what his next steps would be, he didn’t want them to get any closer.
The fear of what happened the other day was mind-numbing. He couldn’t go through that again. If he broke things off now, he wouldn’t have to worry about his past touching Geneva.
He just didn’t know if he could do it. He didn’t know if he could walk away.
Myles moved over to the bed, wanting to kiss her or at least touch her. He did neither. Instead, he gazed down at the woman who had worked her way into his heart.
How the heck was he going to be able to let her go? To move on with his life without her in it?
He sighed and sat in the recliner next to the bed and remove his boots. The moment he laid his head back and closed his eyes, exhaustion set in. It felt good just to sit back and relax. Physically, that is. He just couldn’t shut his brain down.
Wiz had called him earlier with an address. He’d finally been able to trace the signal from the listening devices. Myles, Kenton, and Parker took a ride to the Midtown area, only to find out that the address was of an apartment complex. The problem was, there were two buildings with over a hundred units. Myles had been able to obtain a list of all the tenants, but during his initial review of less than half, no names had seemed familiar to him.
He yawned and stretched his legs out in front of him. Tomorrow he planned to start digging into the life of every tenant on the list. He didn’t care how long it took, but soon he’d find the coward who tried to kill them.
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